MAM
Sony ropes in 10 sponsors for Kaun Banega Crorepati
MUMBAI: Sony Entertainment Television (Set) has roped in eight associate sponsors and two title sponsors for the sixth season of its premium game show ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati’.
The channel has once again got Cadbury as the title sponsor on board while the show is powered by Idea. The associate sponsors for the show are Axis Bank, Just Dial, Ceat, Maruti, Sony India, Hero Motor Corp and Aakash Institute. Sony might extend the number to 11 by bringing one more associate sponsor on board.
MSM president network sales, licensing and telephony Rohit Gupta said, “KBC is an impact property and we have received great response from the advertisers for this season too. We are expecting to grow by 20-25 per cent this season.”
As reported earlier, Kaun Banega Crorepati 5 had made Rs 2 billion from ad revenue.
Gupta said that 70 per cent of the inventory would be consumed by sponsors. “The remaining 30 per cent will be for spot buys. There is some inventory left for spot buys that we are looking to sell during festive season of Diwali so that we can charge a higher premium. Right now we are offering a packaged deal for spot buyers who are advertising for all the episodes,” he added.
Starting 7 September, Kaun Banega Crorepati 6, will air Friday-Sunday at 8.30 pm. The show this season will air for 21 weekends with 58 episodes. It will also comprise special episodes with “unique” and “distinct” themes which will capture a little bit of India in every episode, lined up to ignite the minds and hearts of Indian audiences, the channel said.
“It is a glorious moment for all of us at Sony to bring back another power packed season of the magnificent game show Kaun Banega Crorepati on our network, This year’s theme ‘Sirf Gyaan Hi Aapko Aapka Haq Dilata Hai’ celebrates knowledge as the greatest leveller in our society and a potent change agent,” Multi Screen Media COO N.P Singh said in a statement.
Brands
Domino’s Q1 profit falls 6.6 per cent, announces $1 billion buyback
Sales rise 3.4 per cent as pizza giant balances growth and shareholder returns
NEW YORK: Domino’s reported a mixed start to 2026, with first-quarter net income slipping even as global sales and store expansion held steady. The company also announced a fresh $1 billion share buyback, underlining its continued focus on shareholder returns.
Global retail sales rose 3.4 per cent on a constant-currency basis to $4.74 billion. The US remained a key growth engine, with same-store sales inching up 0.9 per cent, supported by a 1.5 per cent rise at company-owned outlets.
International markets, however, painted a more uneven picture. While Domino’s added 161 net new stores overseas during the quarter, international same-store sales declined 0.4 per cent. Overall revenues still climbed 3.5 per cent to $1.15 billion, driven by higher supply chain revenues and a 2.6 per cent increase in food basket pricing for franchisees.
On the profitability front, net income fell 6.6 per cent to $139.8 million, compared to $149.7 million a year earlier. Diluted earnings per share dropped to $4.13 from $4.33. The decline was largely attributed to a $30 million unfavourable swing in unrealised gains linked to its investment in DPC Dash Ltd.
Despite this, operational performance showed resilience. Income from operations rose 9.6 per cent to $230.4 million, supported in part by a $7.8 million pre-tax gain from the sale of a corporate aircraft.
Domino’s footprint continued to expand, with the company ending the quarter at 22,322 stores across more than 90 markets. In the US, digital orders remained dominant, accounting for over 85 per cent of retail sales in 2025.
The company also maintained its dividend payout, declaring $1.99 per share, payable on 30 June 2026. After repurchasing $75.1 million worth of stock during the quarter, the new authorisation lifts the total available for buybacks to $1.29 billion.
Domino’s chief executive officer Russell Weiner said the company’s scale and store-level economics position it well to capture further market share in 2026, even as competition intensifies.
As Domino’s leans into expansion and capital returns, the latest results show a business managing short-term pressures while keeping its long-term growth strategy firmly in play.
